Patrick E. McKnight, Ph.D.

Contact Information

Associate Professor of Psychology | George Mason University

Email: pmcknigh@gmu.edu | Phone: (703) 993-8292 Office: MSN 3F5, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030

Google Scholar | ORCID | GMU Profile


Education

Ph.D. in Psychology (Clinical), University of Arizona, 1997 - Dissertation: Calibration of Psychological Measures: An illustration of three quantitative calibration procedures. Chair: Lee Sechrest, Ph.D.

M.S. in Exercise and Sports Sciences, University of Arizona, 1992 - Thesis: The effects of cohesion and identifiability on social loafing. Chair: Jean M. Williams, Ph.D.

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, 1988


Academic Positions

Associate Professor, George Mason University, Department of Psychology: Human Factors and Applied Cognition, 2011–Present

Advisory Board Member, Sense about Science USA, STATS.org, 2015–Present

Consultant, McKnight Consulting, LLC, Research and Technical Consulting, 2005–Present

Assistant Professor, George Mason University, Department of Psychology, 2005–2011

Research Assistant Professor, University of Arizona, Department of Psychology, EGAD, 2002–2005

Health Sciences Specialist, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, CESATE, 1999–2001

Psychology Resident, University of Washington, College of Medicine, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 1998–1999


Books

McKnight, P.E., McKnight, K.M., Sidani, S. & Figueredo, A.J. (2007). Missing Data: A Gentle Introduction. New York: Guilford Press. [3,200 citations]

Bootzin, R.R. & McKnight, P.E. (Eds) (2006). Strengthening Research Methodology: Psychological Measurement and Evaluation. Washington: American Psychological Association. [6 citations]


Book Chapters

  • McKnight, P.E. & McKnight, K.M. (2013). Missing Data in Psychological Science. In Comer, J.S. & Kendall, P.C. (Eds.), Oxford Handbook of Research Strategies for Clinical Psychology. Oxford University Press.

  • McKnight, P.E. & McKnight, K.M. (2011). Missing data in archival research. In Trzesniewski, K.H., Donnellan, M.B., & Lucas, R.E. (Eds.), Obtaining and Analyzing Archival Data: Methods and Illustrations. American Psychological Association.

  • McKnight, K.M. & McKnight, P.E. (2009). Measures for Improving Measures. In Streiner, D.L. & Sidani, S. (Eds.), When Research Goes Off the Rails. Guilford Press.

  • McKnight, P.E., McKnight, K.M., & Figueredo, A.J. (2005). The nature of a scientific legacy: The case study of Lee Sechrest. In Bootzin, R. & McKnight, P.E. (Eds.), Strengthening Research Methodology: Psychological Measurement and Evaluation. American Psychological Association.

  • Wilhelm, O. & McKnight, P.E. (2002). Ability and achievement testing on the World Wide Web. In Batinic, B., Reips, U.D., & Bosnjak, M. (Eds.), Online Social Sciences. Hogrefe & Hubers. [45 citations]

  • Sechrest, L., Davis, M.F., Stickle, T.R., & McKnight, P.E. (1999). Understanding ‘method’ variance. In Bickman, L. (Eds.), Research Design: Donald Campbell’s Legacy. Sage Publications.


Journal Articles

81 peer-reviewed articles

2025

  • McKnight, P.E., Kashdan, T.B., MacKay, A., Kelso, K., & Gross, M. (2025). Purpose and happiness: A comparison. Journal of Positive Psychology.

  • Kashdan, T.B., McKnight, P.E., Kelso, K., Craig, L., Guenoun, B., & Naughton, C. (2025). Multiple dimensions of workplace curiosity: Evidence of generalizability in nine countries. Personality and Individual Differences.

  • Blanco-Donoso, Torio, L., Hurtado, M., Lecuona, O., Carmona-Cobo, I., Kashdan, T.B., McKnight, P.E., & Garrosa, E. (2025). Spanish adaptation of the Multidimensional Workplace Curiosity Scale. Acta Psychologica.

2024

  • Jackson, K.M., Thayer, S.C., Simpson, K.L., Shaw, T.H., McKnight, P.E., & Helton, W.S. (2024). Swimming with a head-mounted display: dual-task costs. Ergonomics, 1-10.

  • Kashdan, T.B., Kaufman, J.C., & McKnight, P.E. (2024). The costs of curiosity and creativity: Minimizing the downsides while maximizing the upsides. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 47, e105.

2023

  • Kashdan, T.B., Goodman, F.R., McKnight, P.E., Brown, B., & Rum, R. (2023). Purpose in life: A resolution on the definition, conceptual model, and optimal measurement. American Psychologist. [50 citations]

  • Dang, J.A., Shaw, T.H., McKnight, P.E., & Helton, W.S. (2023). A closer look at warning cues on the sustained attention to response task performance. Human Factors, 65, 1793-1803. [5 citations]

  • Harwood, A.E., Satterfield, K., Helton, W.S., McKnight, P.E., & Shaw, T.H. (2023). The Role of State and Trait Self-Control on the Sustained Attention to Response Task. Human Factors. [2 citations]

2022

  • Lockhart, P.B., Thornhill, M.H., Zhao, J., et al. & McKnight, P.E. (2022). Factors that affect dentists’ use of antibiotic prophylaxis. Journal of the American Dental Association. [10 citations]

  • Kashdan, T.B., McKnight, P.E., & Goodman, F.R. (2022). Evolving positive psychology: A blueprint for advancing the study of purpose in life, psychological strengths, and resilience. Journal of Positive Psychology, 17, 210-218. [45 citations]

  • Dang, J.A., Shaw, T.H., McKnight, P.E., & Helton, W.S. (2022). A closer look at warning cues on the sustained attention to response task performance. Human Factors. [5 citations]

2021

  • McKnight, P.E., Kidd, J.K., Gallington, D.A., Strauss, L.I., Lyu, H., Gadzichowski, K.M., & Pasnak, R. (2021). The Efficacy of Teaching Advanced Forms of Patterning to Kindergartners. Creative Education, 12, 557. [5 citations]

2020

  • Kashdan, T.B., Disabato, D.J., Goodman, F.R., & McKnight, P.E. (2020). The Five-Dimensional Curiosity Scale Revised (5DCR): Briefer subscales while separating overt and covert social curiosity. Personality and Individual Differences, 157, 109836. [280 citations]

  • Kashdan, T.B., Goodman, F.R., Disabato, D.J., McKnight, P.E., Kelso, K., & Naughton, C. (2020). Curiosity has comprehensive benefits in the workplace. Personality and Individual Differences, 155, 109717. [195 citations]

  • Kashdan, T.B., Disabato, D.J., Goodman, F.R., Doorley, J.D., & McKnight, P.E. (2020). Understanding psychological flexibility: A multimethod exploration of pursuing valued goals despite the presence of distress. Psychological Assessment, 32, 829. [120 citations]

  • Kashdan, T.B., Disabato, D.J., McKnight, P.E., Kelso, K.C., Lauber, M., & Goodman, F.R. (2020). Sexual assault: Exploring real-time consequences the next day and in subsequent days. International Journal of Wellbeing, 10. [15 citations]

  • Gonçalves, S.F., Chaplin, T.M., López Jr, R., et al. & McKnight, P.E. (2020). High-Frequency Heart Rate Variability and Emotion-Driven Impulse Control Difficulties During Adolescence. Journal of Early Adolescence. [25 citations]

  • Lockhart, P.B., Thornhill, M.H., Zhao, J., et al. & McKnight, P.E. (2020). Prophylactic antibiotic prescribing in dental practice. Journal of the American Dental Association, 151, 770-781. [35 citations]

2019

  • Doorley, J.D., Kashdan, T.B., Alexander, L.A., Blalock, D.V., & McKnight, P.E. (2019). Distress tolerance in romantic relationships: A daily diary exploration with methodological considerations. Motivation and Emotion, 43, 505-516. [25 citations]

  • Fontana, M., Eckert, G.J., Keels, M.A., et al. & McKnight, P. (2019). Predicting Caries in Medical Settings: Risk Factors in Diverse Infant Groups. Journal of Dental Research, 98, 68-76. [45 citations]

  • Curby, T., McKnight, P., Alexander, L., & Erchov, S. (2019). Sources of variance in end-of-course student evaluations. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. [15 citations]

2018

  • Kashdan, T.B., Stiksma, M.C., Disabato, D.D., McKnight, P.E., Bekier, J., Kaji, J., & Lazarus, R. (2018). The five-dimensional curiosity scale: Capturing the bandwidth of curiosity and identifying four unique subgroups of curious people. Journal of Research in Personality, 73, 130-149. [520 citations]

  • Yarbro, J.L., & McKnight, P.E. (2018). An introduction to cost-effectiveness acceptability curves. Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology, 6, 179. [8 citations]

  • Bock, A.M., Cartwright, K.B., McKnight, P.E., et al. & Pasnak, R. (2018). Patterning, reading, and executive functions. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1802. [45 citations]

2017

  • Alexander, L.A., McKnight, P.E., Disabato, D.J., & Kashdan, T.B. (2017). When and How to use Multiple Informants to Improve Clinical Assessments. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment. [35 citations]

  • Kashdan, T.B., Blalock, D.V., Young, K.C., Machell, K.A., Monfort, S.S., McKnight, P.E., & Ferssizidis, P. (2017). Personality Strengths in Romantic relationships. Psychological Assessment. [65 citations]

  • Kashdan, T.B., Goodman, F.R., Stiksma, M., Milius, C.R., & McKnight, P.E. (2017). Sexuality Leads to Boosts in Mood and Meaning in Life. Emotion. [45 citations]

  • Monfort, S.S., Graybeal, J.J., Harwood, A.E., McKnight, P.E., & Shaw, T.H. (2017). A single-item assessment for remaining mental resources: development and validation of the Gas Tank Questionnaire. Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science. [25 citations]

  • Bono, G., Froh, J.J., Disabato, D., Blalock, D., McKnight, P., & Bausert, S. (2017). Gratitude’s role in adolescent antisocial and prosocial behavior: A 4-year longitudinal investigation. Journal of Positive Psychology. [55 citations]

2016

  • de Visser, E.J., Monfort, S.S., McKendrick, R., Smith, M.A.B., McKnight, P.E., Krueger, F., & Parasuraman, R. (2016). Almost Human: Anthropomorphism Increases Trust Resilience in Cognitive Agents. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied. [280 citations]

  • Foroughi, C.K., Monfort, S.S., Paczynski, M., McKnight, P.E., & Greenwood, P.M. (2016). Placebo effects in cognitive training. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113, 7470-7474. [350 citations]

  • Saad, M.A., McKnight, P., Quartuccio, J., Nicholas, D., Jaladi, R., & Corriveau, P. (2016). Online subjective testing for consumer-photo quality evaluation. Journal of Electronic Imaging, 25, 043009. [15 citations]

2015

  • Kashdan, T.B., Feldman-Barrett, L., & McKnight, P.E. (2015). Unpacking emotion differentiation: Transforming unpleasant experience by perceiving distinctions in negativity. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 24, 10-16. [450 citations]

  • McKnight, P.E., Monfort, S.S., Kashdan, T.B., Blalock, D.V., & Calton, J.M. (2015). Anxiety Symptoms and Functional Impairment: A Systematic Review of the Correlation between the Two Measures. Clinical Psychology Review, 45, 115-130. [180 citations]

  • Shaw, T.H., Nguyen, C., Satterfield, K., Ramirez, R., & McKnight, P.E. (2015). Cerebral hemovelocity reveals differential resource allocation strategies for extraverts and introverts during vigilance. Experimental Brain Research, 234. [35 citations]

  • Sattler, D.N., McKnight, P.E., Naney, L., & Mathis, R. (2015). Grant peer review: Improving inter-rater reliability with training. PLoS One, 10, e0130450. [85 citations]

  • Graybeal, J.J., Bozzelli, P.L., Graybeal, L.L., Groeber, C.M., McKnight, P.E., Cox, D.N., & Flinn, J.M. (2015). Human ApoE ε4 Alters Circadian Rhythm Activity, IL-1β, and GFAP in CRND8 Mice. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 43, 823-834. [45 citations]

  • Young, K.C., Kashdan, T.B., McKnight, P.E., Blalock, D.V., Yuen, M., & Richberg, J.B. (2015). Happy and unhappy adolescent bullies: Evidence for theoretically meaningful subgroups. Personality and Individual Differences, 75, 224-228. [25 citations]

2014

  • VanDerhei, S., Rojahn, J., Stuewig, J., & McKnight, P.E. (2014). The Effect of Shame-Proneness, Guilt-Proneness, and Internalizing Tendencies on Nonsuicidal Self-Injury. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 44, 317-330. [95 citations]

  • Kashdan, T.B., Adams, L.M., Farmer, A.S., Ferssizidis, P., McKnight, P.E., & Nezlek, J.B. (2014). Sexual healing: Daily diary investigation of the benefits of intimate and pleasurable sexual activity in socially anxious adults. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 43, 1417-1429. [55 citations]

  • Kashdan, T.B., Yarbro, J., McKnight, P.E., & Nezlek, J.B. (2014). Laughter with someone else leads to future social rewards: Temporal change using experience sampling methodology. Personality and Individual Differences, 58, 15-19. [85 citations]

  • Yarbro, J., Arfstrom, K.M., McKnight, K., & McKnight, P. (2014). Extension of a review of flipped learning. Flipped Learning Network. [450 citations]

  • Kidd, J.K., Pasnak, R., Gadzichowski, K.M., Gallington, D.A., McKnight, P., Boyer, C.E., & Carlson, A. (2014). Instructing first-grade children on patterning improves reading and mathematics. Early Education & Development, 25, 134-151. [145 citations]

2013

  • Kashdan, T.B., & McKnight, P.E. (2013). Commitment to a purpose in life: An antidote to the suffering by individuals with social anxiety disorder. Emotion, 13, 1150. [380 citations]

  • Kashdan, T.B., Farmer, A.S., Adams, L.M., Ferssizidis, P., McKnight, P.E., & Nezlek, J.B. (2013). Distinguishing health adults from people with social anxiety disorder. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 122, 645. [280 citations]

  • Kashdan, T.B., Ferssizidis, P., Farmer, A.S., Adams, L.M., & McKnight, P.E. (2013). Failure to capitalize on sharing good news with romantic partners. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 51, 656-668. [120 citations]

2012

  • Kashdan, T.B., Young, K.C., & McKnight, P.E. (2012). When is rumination an adaptive mood repair strategy?. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 26, 762-768. [95 citations]

2011

  • Thompson, J.C., Trafton, J.G., & McKnight, P. (2011). The perception of humanness from the movements of synthetic agents. Perception, 40, 695-704. [145 citations]

  • Renshaw, K.D., McKnight, P., Caska, C.M., & Blais, R.K. (2011). The utility of the relationship assessment scale in multiple types of relationships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 28, 435-447. [185 citations]

  • Kashdan, T.B., Adams, L., Savostyanova, A., Ferssizidis, P., McKnight, P.E., & Nezlek, J.B. (2011). Effects of social anxiety and depressive symptoms on the frequency and quality of sexual activity. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 49, 352-360. [185 citations]

  • Kashdan, T.B., & McKnight, P.E. (2011). Dynamic, contextual approaches to studying personality in the social world. Journal of Personality, 79, 1177-1190. [65 citations]

  • Kashdan, T.B., McKnight, P.E., Fincham, F.D., & Rose, P. (2011). When curiosity breeds intimacy. Journal of Personality, 79, 1369-1401. [195 citations]

  • McKnight, P.E., Johns, M.J., McGovern, P.J., & Najab, J. (2011). The pitfalls of a tool-based science and the promise of a problem-focused science. Journal of Methods and Measurement in the Social Sciences, 1, 1-14. [15 citations]

  • Voelkle, M.C. & McKnight, P.E. (2011). One size fits all? A Monte-Carlo simulation on repeated measures (M)ANOVA and latent curve modeling. Methodology, 8, 23-38. [35 citations]

2010

  • Kashdan, T.B. & McKnight, P.E. (2010). The darker side of social anxiety. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 19, 47-50. [285 citations]

  • Farr, J., Going, S., McKnight, P.E., Kasle, S., Cussler, E., & Cornette, M. (2010). Progressive resistance training improves overall physical activity levels in patients with early osteoarthritis of the knee. Physical Therapy, 90, 356-366. [245 citations]

  • Kasle, S., Wilhelm, M.S., McKnight, P.E., Sheikh, S.Z., & Zautra, A.J. (2010). Mutuality’s prospective beneficial effect on inflammation in female rheumatoid arthritis patients. Arthritis Care & Research, 62, 92-100. [45 citations]

  • McKnight, P.E., Kasle, S., Going, S., Villanueva, I., Cornett, M., Farr, J., Wright, J., Streeter, C., & Zautra, A. (2010). A comparison of strength training, self-management, and the combination for early osteoarthritis of the knee. Arthritis Care & Research, 62, 45-53. [265 citations]

  • McKnight, P.E., Afram, A., Kashdan, T.B., Kasle, S., & Zautra, A. (2010). Coping self-efficacy as a mediator between catastrophizing and physical functioning. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 33, 239-249. [115 citations]

2009

  • Hofmann, S.G., Richey, J.A., Kashdan, T.B., & McKnight, P.E. (2009). Anxiety disorders moderate the association between externalizing problems and substance use disorders. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 23, 529-534. [145 citations]

  • Kashdan, T.B., McKnight, P.E., Richey, J.A., & Hofmann, S.G. (2009). When social anxiety disorder co-exists with risk-prone, approach behavior. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 47, 559-568. [245 citations]

  • McKnight, P.E. & Kashdan, T.B. (2009). The importance of functional impairment to mental health outcomes. Clinical Psychology Review, 29, 243-259. [685 citations]

  • McKnight, P.E. & Kashdan, T.B. (2009). Purpose in life as a system that creates and sustains health and well-being. Review of General Psychology, 13, 242-251. [1250 citations]

2007

  • McKnight, P. & Babcock-Parziale, J. (2007). Respondent impact on functional ability outcome measures in vision rehabilitation. Optometry and Vision Sciences, 84, 721-728. [25 citations]

2006

  • Coan, J.A., Allen, J.J., & McKnight, P.E. (2006). A capability model of individual differences in frontal EEG asymmetry. Biological Psychology, 72, 198-207. [685 citations]

  • Caspi, O., McKnight, P., Kruse, L., Cunningham, V., Figueredo, A.J., & Sechrest, L. (2006). Evidence-based medicine: discrepancy between perceived competence and actual performance among graduating medical students. Medical Teacher, 28, 318-325. [165 citations]

2005

  • Babcock-Parziale, J., McKnight, P.E. & Head, D.N. (2005). Evaluating the psychometric properties of a clinical and a self-report blind rehabilitation outcome measure. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, 42, 487-498. [45 citations]

  • McKnight, K.M., Sechrest, L., & McKnight, P.E. (2005). Psychology, psychologists, and public policy. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 1, 557-576. [85 citations]

  • Bayles, K.A., Kim, E.S., Azuma, T., et al. & McKnight, P. (2005). Developing Evidence-Based Practice Guidelines for Speech-Language Pathologists Serving Individuals with Alzheimer’s Dementia. Journal of Medical Speech-Language Pathology, 13, xiii-xxv. [85 citations]

  • Schnyer, R., Conboy, L., Jacobson, E., McKnight, P., et al. (2005). Development of a Chinese Medicine Assessment Measure: An Interdisciplinary Approach using the Delphi Method. Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 11, 1005-1013. [165 citations]

2004

  • Stroud, M., McKnight, P.E. & Jensen, M. (2004). Assessment of Self-Reported Physical Activity in Chronic Pain Patients: Development of an Abbreviated Roland-Morris Disability Scale. Journal of Pain, 5, 257-263. [185 citations]

  • Conrad, K.J., Wright, B.D. & McKnight, P.E. (2004). Comparing Traditional and Rasch Analyses of the Mississippi PTSD Scale. Journal of Applied Measurement, 5, 15-30. [165 citations]

  • Bayles, K.A., Tomoeda, C.K., McKnight, P.E., Helm-Estabrooks, N., & Hawley, J.N. (2004). Verbal perseveration in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. Seminars in Speech and Language, 25, 335-347. [95 citations]

2003

  • McKnight, P.E. & Sechrest, L. (2003). The use and misuse of the term ‘experience’ in contemporary psychology. Philosophical Psychology, 16, 431-460. [85 citations]

  • Reed, R.L., Hepburn, K., Adelson, R., Center, B., & McKnight, P. (2003). Low serum albumin levels, confusion and fecal incontinence: Are these risk factors for pressure ulcers?. Gerontology, 49, 255-259. [285 citations]

  • Doctor, J.N., Wolfson, A.M., McKnight, P.E. & Burns, S.P. (2003). The effect of inaccurate FIM instrument ratings on prospective payment. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 84, 46-50. [45 citations]

2002

  • Schmaling, K.B., McKnight, P.E. & Afari, N. (2002). A prospective daily study of the relationship of moods and stress to pulmonary function among patients with asthma. Journal of Asthma, 39, 501-510. [125 citations]

2001

  • Baer, J.S., Kivlahan, D.R., Blume, A., McKnight, P.E., & Marlatt, G.A. (2001). Brief intervention for heavy drinking college students: Four-year follow-up and natural history. American Journal of Public Health, 91, 1310-1316. [1450 citations]

2000

  • Figueredo, A.J., McKnight, P.E., McKnight, K.M. & Sidani, S. (2000). Multivariate modeling of missing data within and across assessment waves. Addiction, 95, 361-380. [385 citations]

1996

  • Sechrest, L., McKnight, P., & McKnight, K. (1996). Calibration of measures for psychotherapy outcome studies. American Psychologist, 51, 1065-1071. [485 citations]

1995

  • Erickson, J.R., Stevens, S., McKnight, P.E., & Figueredo, A.J. (1995). Willingness for treatment as a predictor of retention and outcomes. Journal of Addictive Diseases, 14, 135-150. [165 citations]

Research Funding

Total Funding: $6,890,206

Crowdsourcing forecast models in intelligence (PI: Georghe Tecuci)
IARPA | Co-Investigator | 2016–2021

Distinguishing extraordinarily happy from psychologically flexible people (PI: Todd Kashdan)
Koch Foundation | Co-Investigator — $248,000 | 2016–2021

Evaluation and Review of ONR Immersive Training Environments
Office of Naval Research (ONR) | Principal Investigator — $899,577 | 2014–2016

Diagnosis and prediction of mild traumatic brain injury (PI: Judith Babcock-Parziale)
VA Health Services Research and Development | Co-Investigator | 2009–2012

Advancing Outcomes Measurement and Micro-costing in Blind Rehabilitation
VA Health Services Research and Development | Co-Investigator — $550,080 | 2006–2010

Trait and State Frontal Brain Asymmetry in Depression
NIH-NIMH | Co-Investigator — $1,869,813 | 2004–2009

Multidimensional Intervention in Osteoarthritis
NIAMS | Co-Investigator — $2,630,000 | 2003–2007

Comprehensive Plan to Insure Capacity for Screening and Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer in Arizona
Arizona Department of Health Services | Co-Investigator — $275,000 | 2004–2006

Positive Mental Health and Outcomes in Osteoarthritis
Arthritis Foundation | Co-Investigator — $313,500 | 2002–2006

Tucson Energy Baseline Study
Department of Energy / TMEC | Principal Investigator — $19,000 | 2001–2002

Calibration of Measures for Assessing Low-Vision Rehabilitation Patients
VA Rehabilitation Research and Development | Co-Investigator — $85,236 | 2001–2003


Teaching

Graduate Courses

  • PSYC 611: Introductory Statistics and Methods I
  • PSYC 612: Introductory Statistics and Methods II
  • PSYC 642: General Linear Modeling I
  • PSYC 643: General Linear Modeling II
  • PSYC 754: Multiple Regression
  • PSYC 757: Bayesian Data Analysis
  • PSYC 734: Measurement & Study of Peak Performance

Undergraduate Courses

  • PSYC 301: Introductory Statistics
  • PSYC 325: Psychopathology
  • PSYC 405: Mystery, Madness, and Murder

Doctoral Students

Current Students

  • Amrote Getu
  • Kristin Carpenter
  • Amie MacKay
  • Dan Singer

Completed (18)

  • Dean Cisler, George Mason University, 2024
  • Kara Massick, George Mason University, 2024
  • Amanda Harwood, George Mason University, 2020
  • Michael Waltrip, George Mason University, 2020
  • Lisa Alexander, George Mason University, 2019
  • Max Shear, George Mason University, 2018
  • Simone Erchov, George Mason University, 2017
  • Jake Quartuccio, George Mason University, 2017
  • Sam Monfort, George Mason University, 2017
  • John Graybeal, George Mason University, 2016
  • Dan Blalock, George Mason University, 2016
  • Jessica Yarbro, George Mason University, 2016
  • Julius Najab, George Mason University, 2013
  • Mei Kuang Chen, University of Arizona, 2008
  • Michael Menke, University of Arizona, 2005
  • Kim Bissel, University of Arizona, 2001
  • Richard Lane, University of Arizona, 2000
  • Opher Caspi, University of Arizona, 2000

Professional Affiliations

  • American Evaluation Association, 1991–Present — Chair, Quantitative Methods TIG (2001-present)
  • American Statistical Association, 1997–Present
  • Association for Psychological Science, 1992–Present
  • Psychometric Society, 1997–Present
  • Society for the Science of Clinical Psychology, 1992–Present
  • American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2001–Present
  • American Psychological Association - Division 5, 2009–Present
  • Society for Judgment and Decision Making, 2010–Present

Technical Skills

Statistical Software: R, SAS, SPSS, Python, Stan, JAGS, Julia

SEM/IRT: lavaan, Mplus, EQS, LISREL, Onyx, Mx, mirt, ltm, Winsteps, Multilog, Bilog

Programming: R, Python, C/C++, Fortran, Julia, SQL, LaTeX, Quarto, Shiny


Scholarly Impact

Metric Value
Total Citations 17,454
h-index 62
i10-index 108
Publications 90+

Source: Google Scholar, 2026-01-29

Research Contributions by Area

Most Cited Works


Beyond Academia

Mountaineering: Everest (2018), Aconcagua (2017), Denali (2011)

Marathon Swimming: English Channel, Catalina Channel, 20 Bridges Manhattan

  • Triple Crown of Marathon Swimming - Fastest Known Time (34 days)
  • Ranked Top 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Swimmers
  • 10th Member of Peak & Pond Club (2018)

Triathlon: Canadian Ironman (10:03)

Erdos Number: 6